Thoughts from a greymuzzle

[altivo]

I never knew Furp, alas. From the tidal wave of grief and loss pouring through the community today, it's clear that I missed someone worthwhile. I'm sorry for that, but feel compelled as well to say this to all. Life is brief, and can end in a split second. Cherish your friends today, do not wait. There is always someone for whom tomorrow doesn't come. Keep memory alive, and learn from it. You loved him, and there were reasons. Those reasons are just as valid now as they were before, and you can make them live on in your contact with others.

Now, looking to the immediate future, quite a different thought but also important. Nominations for the Ursa Major Awards are open now, and remain open through the end of February. These are really significant honors for our artists, writers, and designers. Everyone says furry fandom is about the art, yet the number who participate in the Ursa Awards voting is pitifully small. It costs you nothing. All you have to do is register with a valid e-mail address, and you will receive a code that permits you to post your nominations, and then in March to vote for the winners in each category. Your opinion is welcome and needed. Please participate. Details of the nomination process are here. You may submit up to five entries in each category if you wish. The site includes a list of suggestions, but you are not limited to those. Any work of art, literature, film/video, game design, or other anthropomorphic art that was first released to the public in the calendar year 2008 can be nominated. Online publication (such as at FurAffinity) is acceptable, as are print or other media. Let's see a bigger turnout for the nominations and voting this year. The Ursa Majors are to furry fandom what the Hugo and Nebula awards are to Science Fiction, the Oscars to the motion picture industry, the Grammies to music, and so forth. They matter a great deal.

Well, if Kyell Gold can do this, why can't I? I have two works of short fiction that are actually eligible for nomination this year. If you're interested in furry writing that isn't about sex but touches on other elements of life, love, and fate, perhaps you'll have a look and consider these.

"A Change of Pace" by Altivo Overo. FurAffinity link here and FurRag link here (no login needed for FurRag.)

"Catch Me If You Can" by Altivo Overo. FurAffinity link here and FurRag link here (no login needed for FurRag.)

Comments

[avon-deer.livejournal.com]

I cannot believe I do not watch you on FA. That's been corrected now.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

If you'd asked me, I thought you were already watching. Thanks. ;D

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Wow, some folks might have a chance now. The first time I encountered the Ursa Major Awards it seemed that they should have just renamed it the Tai-Pan Fan Club. I was present to represent one entrant and it's not that that entrant didn't win, but it was just plain tiresome to hear "Tai-Pan" for n-th-the-n-th time. I considered my time wasted, and not by the entrant. Then the next year seemed to be about the same though I was safely away from the proceedings. And thus I didn't bother following them at all any more. Why bother?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Tai-Pan isn't nearly the factor it once was. Nominations and voting has been open to anyone who registers for several years now. Because most of the fandom is either blissfully unaware of the awards program or perhaps doesn't care, it's still fairly easy for a faction to "stuff the ballot box." If I remember correctly, last year it looked as if there were fewer than 200 voters on the final awards.

[heavens-steed.livejournal.com]

I'll have to have a look at your stories and this contest. I will not participate in it as there is nothing I could do that would ever come close to being nominated for an award.

I didn't know Furp either but apparently many other people did. I'm sure he was a wonderful person to be so missed. Why are all these good people dying and I'm still here? At least if I died there would be a tidal wave of joy and relief rolling across the community, or at best a wave of apathy.

A wave of ???

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

Relief, but not joy. I feel relief anytime someone's existence on this mudball comes to an end. A wave of apathy? Apathetic people wouldn't go to the trouble to make a "wave" of apathy.

I'm curious- do you really look forward to death? Can you tell me why?

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

You're on FA?? o.O

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Been there for years. Since before the big crash and reorganization in fact.